Soybeans (Glycine max L. Merr.) are a major cash crop and investment commodity in North America and elsewhere. Soybean oil is one of the most widely used edible oils, and soybeans are used worldwide both in animal feed and in human food production. Additionally, soybean utilization is expanding to industrial, manufacturing, and pharmaceutical applications.
Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) is a parasitic pest which has threatened soybean production in the U.S. for more than fifty years. Soybean cyst nematode resistance is an economically important trait as infection can substantially reduce yields. Molecular characterization of soybean cyst nematode resistance would have important implications for soybean cultivar improvement.
There remains a need for soybean plants with improved resistance to soybean cyst nematode and methods for identifying and selecting such plants.